Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, Kingdom Hearts, or anything by Disney and Square Enix.

Note: This chapter was hella fun to write. I really love putting Vader out of his depth.

As much as it irked Vader to admit it, he found the Aerith woman unnerving. He could barely sense her in the Force, as though she was millions of lightyears away. And yet, when she looked at him, it was as if she's seeing straight through his armor and into his very soul. Although he found it shameful, he tried to avoid her as much as possible

Unfortunately, she had a habit of running into him. Especially when he was in a particularly unpleasant mood.

Admittedly, it had been a very long time since Vader had been in a pleasant mood. But an extended conversation with the Princess usually left him with a strong desire to choke someone. Indeed, the Princess would likely already be dead under normal circumstances.

But these are far from normal circumstances.

He knew that she was to play a vital role in helping to restore their world.

He was also certain that the Force is strong in her. Given all the rage she carried within her, it would be a simple enough task to mold her into a useful servant - as he'd done with dozens of Inquisitors. And yet, there were obstacles everywhere. Many of which that he could never have foreseen.

Like the woman standing before him now, smiling.

"Hello, Mr. Vader," she said.

He nodded once in acknowledgment.

"You seem to be on your way to do something important," she continued, walking closer. "And you also seem very grumpy."

"How observant of you," he said, bristling at the word "grumpy". Had his dignity not already been impugned upon enough?

"Yup. Totally grumpy."

The little patience he had was wearing thin, so he said, "What is it that you want?"

Her smile widened. "I just wanted to say hello."

He couldn't sense enough from her to know if she was lying, so he tried to reach out even further with the Force. But her mind was beyond his grasp, giving him nothing but psychic static. It did nothing to improve his disposition.

"It's because I'm dead," she said brightly.

Vader startled out of his intense concentration, frowning under his mask. "What do you mean?"

"The reason why your powers don't react to me like normal people – it's because I'm dead." Her smile was very sweet. "I get the feeling that you've been wondering about it for a while."

Memories stirred in the depths of Vader's mind, not entirely welcome for the remnants of Anakin Skywalker that resurface with them. Of Mortis, and the apparition who may have been Qui-Gon Jinn. "How is it possible for you to be here if you're dead?" he asked.

"I'm not entirely sure myself," she admitted easily. "I think it might have to do with the fact that I managed to retain my identity in the Lifestream, and that I helped the others reach this place when the Heartless attacked." Her smile became apologetic. "I'm sorry. This probably doesn't mean much to you."

Actually, it all sounded very familiar. He thinks that the "Lifestream" was an apt enough name for the Living Force. "How were you able to maintain your identity in this Lifestream?"

She let out a little giggle and clasped her hands behind her back. "I don't really remember that part either. Everything was much clearer when I was actually in it, you know?"

He could feel his irritation rising, and decided that now would be a good time to leave her presence. Vader was no coward. While he could indeed sense the immense power that the girl possessed, even distant as she was to him in the Force, it was not her potential retribution that he was wary of.

Rather, it was the fact that using the Dark Side drew the Heartless to him like rancors to raw meat. Of course, the Heartless were unusually attracted to him even when he didn't use the Dark Side, but using it made him especially vulnerable to their attempts to consume him. Even through the rush of power and control, he could feel them gnawing at the edges of his soul, eating away at what little of him was still human. It had motivated him to rein in his anger in a way he hadn't in years. Or at least to avoid situations that made him angry enough to tap into the Dark Side instinctively.

"Then you are of no use to me," he said, whirling around to walk in the opposite direction. He'll have to go to Merlin's through the Third District, it seems.

The Third District, which was crawling with Heartless.

She didn't follow him.

He ignited his lightsaber the moment he entered the Third District, bile rising to the back of his throat as the cloying presence of Heartless enveloped him. It was not unlike how he'd felt years ago as a Jedi when first confronted with places steeped in the Dark Side. And yet, even then, the Dark Side had held a certain allure – a promise of power.

The Heartless hold no such appeal.

Before they even came on the offensive, he could already feel them looking for cracks in his mental defenses, demanding entry into the very depths of his soul. Their hunger for him was voracious.

He struck down one of the little ones as it emerged from shadows on the pavement, and began to his slow progression towards the door of Merlin's Keep. The Force at least could interact with Heartless that existed in corporeal form, and he used it to repulse the flying beasts that approached him, lashing out with his lightsaber at those that managed to breach his defenses.

It was a struggle not to call on the power of the Dark Side as his anger at the creatures, and at his own weakness, began to rise, beckoning him with its promise of swift and sure victory. Only the thought of becoming one of them – a death in all but name, or worse, with all individuality consumed by mindless hunger – that stop[ed him from giving in.

He couldn't deny the relief he felt when he finally reached the red door leading to his destination, feeling Leia's presence beyond it. He had hoped to arrive after she was no longer there, but he supposed it made little difference in the end.

He Force-jumped across the shifting rocks floating in the moat, and soon reached the ramshackle house which the old wizard had taken up as his residence. He didn't bother to announce his entry as he pushed aside the piece of fabric that served as a make-shift door.

He found that Leia and Merlin were sitting at a small round table, drinking tea. Or at least, they had been; Leia set down her cup in order to properly glare at him.

"I don't recall inviting you to join us," she said.

"I did not come here to join your tea party," he replied. "I wish to speak to the old man. Alone."

Merlin's frown reminded Vader all too much of severak Jedi Masters, which only made his irritation grow. "Well, this old man has no desire at all to speak with you alone. Now leave before I turn you into a...a rabbit!"

"I will end you before you can even try," Vader said.

Merlin stood up in a huff, knocking over his teacup in the process so that it shattered on the floor. "Oh, yes, yes – you're very frightening. I still expect you to leave me and my pupil in peace!" He noticed the broken cup and stamped his foot. "Hang it all! That was one of my last ones!"

Leia stood as well, crossing her arms over her chest. "What exactly do you hope to accomplish here, Vader? I've already made my decision, and acting like a thug is not going to make me change my mind."

Vader allowed some of his anger to flow out into the Force – a Jedi trick,which rankles him. But there was no denying that it had been very helpful in managing more delicate situations since arriving in this Force-forsaken place. "I will not harm him, your highness. I only wish to speak with him."

"Harm me?" exclaimed the wizard. "Hah!"

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it with me here," said Leia.

"Very well." Vader raised his finger and pointed at Merlin. "It is not her Highness' destiny to be your apprentice."

Leia rolled her eyes. "I don't believe in destiny, Lord Vader."

"Well, I do," said Merlin. "But I see things very differently, indeed. Why, I've felt for weeks now that the Princess was going to accept my tutelage, and I was right! This "Force" nonsense may be all well and good in the world you come from, but it's next to useless against the Heartless. Just look at the way they swarm about you, like, like – the sorts of things that swarm about!"

"It's unwise to underestimate the Force, old man." Vader made a fist to emphasize the point.

"And it's just as unwise to overestimate it!" Merlin snapped back. "I just bet you're the sort who thinks your powers can solve all of your problems!"

"Enough of this," snapped Leia. "The decision is mine and mine alone." She glared hard at Vader. "If learning the ways of the Force will make me like you, then I have no interest in it. Accept my choice, Lord Vader, or our partnership is at an end."

Vader seethed, wishing very much that he could kill something or someone at that moment. But again, he let his emotions flow out into the Force; he couldn't afford to lose control. At length, he said, "As you wish, you Highness. But I'm concerned that you're making a grave mistake."

Leia smiled tightly. "Well, we'll find out if that's the case soon enough, won't we?"

"Now then, that's all settled," said Merlin, throwing up his hands, and Vader felt his cloak being tugged towards the door. "I insist that you leave us be. Out, out, out!"

Vader warded off the invisible hands with a push of the Force, but stalked out of the house without further protest. Merlin may have won the battle, but he had hardly won the war.

He had a ship to build, in any case.